Berry Bros. & Rudd Crémant de Limoux by Antech, Brut, Languedoc
About this WINE
Antech Limoux
Maison Antech is a family-owned winery based in the Limoux appellation of Languedoc-Roussillon in the South of France. Antech is known particularly for its sparkling wines, notably for its Crémant de Limoux, the local traditional method sparkling wine.
In the early 20th century, Eugénie Limouzy became one of the first women in the Languedoc to manage a vineyard. In 1931, her niece Marguerite married Edmond Antech, whose efforts made the estate’s wine more widely and commercially known.
Edmond’s sons Georges and Roger succeeded him, maintaining their father’s winemaking philosophy and preserving the estate’s history while introducing new technology. The brothers created new storehouses and modernised the winery. Georges devoted his professional life to developing Antech’s sales and marketing, while Roger enthusiastically took on the technical aspects of running the vineyard.
Since 1995, Georges’s daughter Françoise has dedicated her energy to the family property. She was joined in 2020 by her son Baptiste, representing the seventh generation of the Antech family here.
Crémant de Limoux
The Limoux wine region is located in the eastern foothills of the Pyrénées in southern France, south of the city of Carcassonne.
The appellation of Crémant de Limoux was introduced in 1990 to allow a higher percentage of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay in the traditional blend of Limoux sparkling wines (represented in the appellation of Blanquette de Limoux, which required a minimum of 90 percent Mauzac grape in the blend’s composition).
Crémant de Limoux contains 40 to 70 percent Chardonnay, 20 to 40 percent Chenin Blanc, 10 to 20 percent Mauzac and up to ten percent Pinot Noir. AOC regulations require that the wine is aged for a least a year on the lees prior to disgorgement.
Crémant blend
Crémants are made all over France. These traditional method sparkling wines imitate Champagnes in both production and the grapes used in the blend.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the most common grapes found in these sparkling wines; their proportion depends on the climate and local regulations. In Crémant de Bourgogne, made in the heartland of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, these are used in equal measure.
Regions further away from Champagne also blend in their own local grapes. For example, in the Crémants from Jura, Savagnin is used to add acidity and savoury flavours to the wine, whilst Trousseau brings delicate red fruit character. Meanwhile, in the south of France, in Crémant de Limoux, Chenin Blanc adds acidity and longevity to the wines, whilst Mauzac brings a bright green apple note.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
For a limited time, Cellar Plan members can enjoy a 20% saving on this wine, with the discount automatically applied at checkout. This offer will revert to 10% at midday on December 20th.
It’s a little more expensive than supermarket options but the additional quality does show: this is a superbly sleek and classy sparkling wine. Taut and tangy, the base is chardonnay (70 per cent) with chenin blanc and the local mauzac providing notes of apple.
Victoria Moore, Wine Correspondent, The Telegraph
Crémant de Limoux is one of the many French traditional method sparkling wine regions outside Champagne. The warmer climate in the south of France contributes to slightly softer acidity than its more famous, northern cousin, making this perfect as a standalone apéritif. A blend of 70% Chardonnay, with 15% each of Chenin Blanc and the local grape Mauzac, this has been aged on its lees in bottle to add complexity.
Tasting note
This delicious sparkling wine shows elegant aromas of orchard fruit and honeyed spice. Aged traditionally and generously on its lees, it shows more exotic fruits on the palate with a clean, pebbly backdrop and an impressive depth of flavour.
Barbara Drew MW, Content Officer, Berry Bros. & Rudd
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